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Montgomery County Council Meets on Feb. 24 to Vote on a Resolution to Approve the Creation of the Viva White Oak Development District and Vote on an Appropriation for the North Branch Trail Project

For Immediate Release: Monday, February 23, 2026

Also on Feb. 24: Briefing on an amendment to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation for the Rose-Budd House

The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 9 a.m. and the meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first, presented by Council President Natali Fani-González with County Executive Marc Elrich, will recognize Ramadan. The second, presented by Councilmember Sidney Katz with County Executive Elrich, will recognize Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. At 1:15 p.m., a third proclamation, presented by Councilmember Dawn Luedtke, will recognize the Montgomery Village Foundation’s 60th birthday.

More detail on each agenda item is provided below. 

District Council Session

Amendment to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation - Rose-Budd House

Briefing: The Council will receive a briefing on the proposed designation of the Rose-Budd House in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation. The Rose-Budd House is the ancestral home of the Budd, Riggs, and Rose family built by Perry Budd in 1912 and is located in Sandy Spring. At the owners’ request, the property is under consideration for designation in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation.

Designation of a property as a master plan historic site or historic district indicates that the property is of special historic significance and would be protected under the Historic Resources Preservation chapter of the County Code. Designation requires the review of the Historic Preservation Commission, the Planning Board and the County Council.

Additional information is available on the Planning Board website and in the Planning Board’s draft of the Rose-Budd House Proposed Historic Designation.

Resolution to approve the Creation of Viva White Oak Development District

Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution to approve the creation of the Viva White Oak Development District. The resolution establishes the tax increment finance (TIF) development district in White Oak; identifies the existing tax base that will continue to generate tax revenue to the general fund; establishes the tax increment that will generate revenue to support the issuance of TIF bonds for the public infrastructure required to develop the VIVA White Oak project; and establishes the parameters for the levy of a special tax to backstop the anticipated TIF bonds. The resolution does not authorize the issuance of any bond series at this time.

The Viva White Oak Development District would consist of approximately 294 acres located in the eastern portion of the County, near the U.S. Food and Drug Administration headquarters and Adventist Hospital. The current owner and the contract purchaser of the property to be included within the proposed development district have submitted a petition to create the district as required by County Code.

The Council’s joint Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) and Economic Development (ECON) Committee recommends approval with two amendments. The first amendment would prioritize evaluating the feasibility of financing a local park through the district. The second amendment would indicate that the County may finance additional roadway and transportation infrastructure improvements outside the geographic boundaries of the district but are reasonably related to the development or use of land in the district. Additional detail is available in the Council staff report.

Consent Calendar

Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, Feb. 24, which is available on the Council website.

Resolution to confirm appointment of a hearing examiner to the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings (OZAH): Kimberly Ward

Introduction and vote expected: The main responsibility of OZAH is to conduct due process administrative hearings on land use cases and other administrative matters in a way that protects the rights of the participants. The Council is expected to vote on the appointment of Kimberly Ward as a hearing examiner for Montgomery County.

Public Hearings

Unless otherwise noted, the Council will hold the following hybrid public hearings at 1:30 p.m.  Residents can visit the Council website to learn about the multiple ways to provide testimony.

Resolution to approve an Amendment to the FY25-30 Capital Improvement Program, Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), North Branch Trail Project (P871541) and a Special Appropriation to the FY26 Capital Budget, M-NCPPC, North Branch Trail (P871541), $2.9 million

Public hearing and vote expected: The Council is expected to hold a public hearing and vote on a $2.9 million special appropriation for the Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) and the North Branch Trail Project. The appropriation is needed to account for increased construction bid costs and construction management for implementation of the project, which will be a new trail located within Rock Creek Regional Park and the North Branch Stream Valley Park. When completed, the North Branch Trail will be approximately 2.2 miles in length, including connector trails.

The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.

Council and committee meetings are streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.

Release ID: 26-063
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884